There are three holidays celebrating the sacrifices men and women have made to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. Memorial Day honors veterans that are deceased, Veterans Day honors living veterans, and Armed Forces Day honors those currently serving in the military.

Traditionally, Armed Forces Day celebrations were conducted at or on military installations on the third Saturday in May. In previous years, not all cities or towns participated; there just wasn’t a direct connection.

That all changed Sept. 11, 2001. Today, our community is blessed with outstanding men and women serving in uniform on our behalf in the war against terrorism. They’re also the wives, husbands, children and family members who pray for the safe return of their loved ones deployed.

On this Armed Forces Day, Saturday, members of American Legion Post 44 and VFW Post 4264 will conduct a Blue Star Banner salute for these hometown heroes at Steamboat Whiskey Co. from 12:30 to 2 p.m. This is a great opportunity for our local veterans and the community to gather and show appreciation and support to the families of those currently serving.

The Blue Star Banner that will be presented to the families was designed by a World War I Army officer to be displayed in the window of a home to let others know that someone in the home is serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Blue Star Banners, while widely used across America during the first and second World Wars, were not embraced during the Korean and Vietnam wars with the same enthusiasm. Now, as the long and difficult “war on terrorism” continues, the Blue Star Banner tradition reminds us all that war of any kind touches every neighborhood in our land.

Please join us at Steamboat Whiskey Co. on this Armed Forces Day to show those military members and their families that care for our freedoms that we care for them.

Jim Stanko

Steamboat Springs